1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of X-ray imaging systems and more particular to the geometric configuration of X-ray imaging systems. Such a geometric configuration comprises positioning the X-ray source and X-ray detector panel with respect to an object of which an X-ray is to be taken. This positioning may be a translation of the X-ray source and detector assembly or a rotation around the object to radiate the objection from a different angle. Such a configuration may also comprise an adjustment of the diaphragm or collimator and a change of the distance between the object and the X-ray source in order to obtain a resizing or zooming effect of the X-ray image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Medical imaging systems usually include some user controls to adjust imaging parameters. The required configuration values are determined by a series of inputs, including the type of the study being performed and the characteristics of the subject being imaged. The process of selecting the right configuration given a certain subject and a desired study is crucial since this affects the image quality and the subject's wellbeing directly. In the case of X-ray imaging, for instance, image retakes caused by an erroneous configuration are especially undesirable due to the harmful nature of X-ray radiation to the subject.
In a traditional setting, the configuration is manually controlled by the operator. The radiation dose is typically derived from the medical study and the size of the subject. The position configuration of the system is typically done manually by sight, i.e., collimator setting and position of the X-ray source and detector panel are determined by the operator. However, this process is time consuming and prone to errors because the operator has no clear view of the applied adjustments. This results in an inefficient use of the X-ray system and a risk that multiple X-rays have to be captured.
Solutions have already been proposed to make the imaging process more efficient and less prone to errors.
In WO2006024622A1 an X-ray imaging system is proposed where cameras are used to capture images of the subject to be imaged. Either volume parameters are obtained from the 2D image data or a 3D model is obtained from the 2D images. From the volume parameters, X-ray imaging system's configuration is derived in an automated way. A disadvantage of this this system is that parameter extraction from the 2D images is not always correct, especially not when the cameras are under a large different angle than the X-ray emitter. Another disadvantage is that 3D model fitting from 2D images is a processor intensive operation. A further disadvantage is that an operator cannot verify the automatically derived changes without inspection of an actual taken X-ray image.
US20140016750A1 discloses an X-ray imaging system where depth cameras are used to obtain location information of the subject and to automatically position the X-ray emitter in the correction location. Also here the operator cannot verify the automatically derived changes.